Eight miles of county roadway will soon be under construction. Road Foremen Mark Orman of the Northern District and Randall Kidd of the Southern District said they are presently preparing for the construction, which starts in late August or early September.

Orman said the project would chip seal four miles in each district — Phelps Road, Old Almyra Highway and Alcorn Gill Road in the northern and Gander Street Road and Cypress in the southern.

The work will be paid for through highway state aid funds. Arkansas County Judge Glenn “Sonny” Cox said it is a 90/10 matching grant given under the state’s 1-cent tax off gas and diesel. It is expected to cost about $200,000 — the amount the county receives annually from the 1-cent tax.

Cox added that the county’s roads are in “dire need” due to natural disasters in the past few years.